When the Highlanders look back at their season they may well wonder how they lost this game.
They had more ball, they created more chances and they had possession in the right areas of the field.
That they lost may be an indication of the way their season is heading, and in the end there is only one adjudicator in sport and that is the scoreboard.
That it went the Hurricanes way, 26-20 after the Highlanders led 14-9 at the break, came down to one piece of skill by visiting winger Julian Savea and too much poor skill from the Highlanders.
Savea scored the winning try with five minutes to go, bursting through from 25m out, while the Highlanders summed up their night by losing a scrum after the final hooter had gone.
First five-eighth Chris Noakes, who had a fine match, said the home side's errors proved too costly.
"We sort of played all the rugby. It is frustrating. We were building, looking good and then a little error would occur and let them off," Noakes said.
"We went in at halftime with a lot left in the tank. Everyone was feeling all right . . . It was errors and possibly at times it was a lack of patience.
"Perhaps we tried to score the try a little bit early. We would pick and go and keep doing that and when we really wanted the ball it wasn't quite available," he said.
"Little errors will kill any team. You are down in their half and have them under the pump and then you knock the ball on."
Naokes started as Mike Delany had felt unwell during the week and was not quite 100% fit.
The Highlanders began well, scoring two tries in the first 20min.
After Beauden Barrett had knocked over a penalty for the visitors, Noakes found a gap in the Hurricanes defence and sliced through to score with 13min gone.
Barely 5 min later, Adam Thomson scored after the Highlanders won a lineout near the tryline and a nice pop ball from halfback Aaron Smith put the openside flanker over.
But the Hurricanes were still within range, trailing 14-9 at the break.
The game swung 8min into the second half when Highlanders second five-eighth Phil Burleigh was pushed out in the corner while trying to score a try.
He was effectively stopped illegally through a head-high tackle by Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara, but somehow all the Highlanders got was a penalty and Perenara stayed on the field.
Less than 2min later, Hurricanes flanker Faifili Levave scored when the Highlanders ran out of defenders on the outside.
But play should possibly have been stopped after Hurricanes lock Jason Eaton appeared to put a foot in touch earlier in the play.
The Highlanders tried to skip clear many times but simply dropped the ball too often or took the wrong option.
They also overdid the pick-and-go at times.
Jimmy Cowan kicking the ball out on the full in a tight situation in the second half did not help matters.
The defence of the Hurricanes was rock solid and the men in yellow defended the line with great vigour.
Best for the Highlanders was centre Tamati Ellison, who was enterprising every time he got the ball, while halfback Smith impressed.
No 8 Nasi Manu, who rolled an ankle in the dying minutes of the first half, was all action, while lock Jarrad Hoeata continued his ascendancy in form.
Super 15
The scores
Hurricanes 26
Faifili Levave, Julian Savea tries; Beauden Barrett 2 con, 4 pen
Highlanders 20
Chris Noakes, Adam Thomson tries; Noakes 2 con, pen; Mike Delany pen
Halftime: Highlanders 14-9
Crowd: 18,407
Head to head: the duels
Fullback
Ben Smith v Andre Taylor
Strangely, for a couple of gamebreakers, they did not feature heavily. It was that sort of game. Smith made one nice chip and chase which nearly ended in a try, while Taylor made very few attacking thrusts.
Edge: Even.
Halfback
Aaron Smith v TJ Perenara
Smith looked nice in the first half, sending out accurate passes and sniping around the rucks. Perenara was better in the second half but one wonders how he stayed on the field after a head-high tackle which saved a try.
Edge: Smith.
Hooker
Dane Coles v Andrew Hore
Hore was lively around the field in the first half and made some metres around the ruck. We are still waiting to sight Coles.
Edge: Hore.
